Meet Again
by FanWriter2011
Summary: When Torchwood 3&4 return from their world-shaking mission, they find they have been through the rift and been taken to Torchwood early 2007, still intact under the command of Captain Jack Harkness. The leader of the new team of Torchwood has more secrets than Jack, but will her involvement with The Doctor put it all out of kilter? (first TORCHWOOD/DR.WHO story, please be nice)
1. Chapter 1

Running was all I seemed to do these days. My team and I kept running until we found the familiar Cardiff Bay surroundings. My second in command, Ritch Boulder, led the team first past the water feature opposite the Millennium Centre.

'I can't believe that actually worked!' Ritch laughed.

'You doubt our leader too much.' Molly Richmond, our tech wizard, remarked.

We got into the corridors into our Hub, sheltering from the cold wind for a while. Watching Dr Lou Zhang, our doctor for everything, and Chrissy Donnally, our designated driver, cosy up to each other just made me feel as if I was the odd one out of the group.

'Come on, boss! Keep up!' Ritch laughed.

I rolled my eyes and walked a little bit quicker. I could hear my team laughing up ahead, but then deadly silence fell as they disappeared out of sight and I heard the loud cog in front of the doorway into the hub move. Guns cocked and I ran down the corridor.

'What are you doing in here?' A stranger snapped.

I got into the hub and saw another team stood by the computers. My team had guns aimed at the strangers and the strangers had guns aimed at my team. I got in between both teams as best I could.

'Boss, just give the order and we'll happy take down these trespassers.' Ritch growled.

'Lower your weapons.' I gave the command.

'What?' Molly was horrified.

'I gave an order. Lower your weapons!' I ordered.

My team slowly lowered their guns.

'You trust this lot?' Lou asked, curious.

'I can tell you've not read the files.' I pointed out.

'Don't do this.' Ritch snapped.

'Which year is this?' I asked the guy in the army coat.

'2007.' Trench coat guy replied.

'Ok. This is going to sound really weird, but we're you from the future.' I explained.

'We're meant to believe that?' The guy in a white lab coat asked.

'Dr Owen Harper, all I ask is we stand at a truce until we figure out what's happened.' I said.

'You know me?' Owen was in shock.

'I know who you all are. Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones, Toshiko Sato and your leader Captain Jack Harkness. Torchwood Three.' I pointed out.

'You're Torchwood?' Jack, Trench coat guy, asked.

'Yeah. We're a combination of Torchwood Three and what was left of Torchwood Four.' I shrugged.

'Will you introduce your team?' Jack watched me carefully.

'Ritch Boulder, Molly Richmond, Dr Lou Zhang and Chrissy Donnally.' I explained.

'Yourself?' Jack pointed out I missed myself.

'Spoilers.' I walked down the steps to my team.

'What do you mean?' Gwen asked.

'I'm a future of one of you, a descendant. I can't cross that timeline.' I pointed out.

'Who have you been talking to?' Owen didn't like my attitude.

'The Doctor, actually. Oh, Jack, he sends his regards.' I smirked a little.

'What do you want us to do, boss?' Molly didn't like Torchwood Three very much.

'I don't know. We must have come through the rift somehow.' I tried to figure out what to do.

Jack walked down to us and tapped me on the shoulder.

'May I have a word in my office?' Jack spoke like I didn't have a choice.

'Don't.' Molly snapped.

'Ritch, keep the team here. I won't be long.' I was certain.

I followed Jack up to his office.

'You know a lot about Torchwood?' Jack asked.

'Like the fact you've been here for years since the 19th century? Yeah, I could say that.' I shrugged.

'Can you tell me anything about yourself?'

'Not really. It would disrupt your timeline.'

'Mine?'

'Yeah. I don't know why. It's what The Doctor said.'

'Did he say anything about me to you?'

'You flirt with anything, literally _anything_ , you met trying to con him and he can't seem to get rid of you because you can't die.'

'Can you at least tell me your first name?'

'Mel.'

'Well, Mel, it's a pleasure to meet the leader of the future Torchwood.'

'Glad to see it's in good hands?'

'You could say that.'

'Well, it was The Doctor who had suggested I found them. He knew what you'd done to make Torchwood better and thought I could do the same thing.'

'The Doctor holds you highly then?'

'Appears so. I just hope he can explain why he sent me this direction.'

Jack seemed curious about it too. He led me back to the others. Ritch was getting edgy. I got to my team and checked they were ok.

'What happens to us now?' Chrissy asked.

I looked at Jack and suddenly my vision went fully red and then back to normal.

'What was that?' Owen had seen something.

'Mel, your eyes flashed red.' Jack pointed out.

'You told them?!' Ritch was mad.

'Only my first name, Ritch.' I pointed out.

'Next thing you'll be telling them is where you're from, which isn't Earth! You'll end up telling them everything and it will be the death of you!' Ritch yelled.

'Ritch, please don't do this now.' I was unsure how I felt.

'What's going on?' Jack asked.

'Our supposed leader got sent to Earth on some mission by The Doctor that she won't tell us about! He knows who you are and what it means! We only got the name and no explanation of what consequences we will get! Maybe it's a good thing your mother is dead!' Ritch almost screamed at me.

I pushed past him and walked further through the hub, trying to get away from him.

'HARKNESS!' Ritch yelled.

I turned and looked at him. Ritch laughed at my sudden upset.

'Do you enjoy tormenting me? I had to hold my mother in my arms as she died! The Countess of the planet Valencia, always admired by the many but she only had my father in her heart. No one else could better him for giving her me. She begged me to find my father because he was the only reason I was still alive! That name is currently all that keeps me fighting. No matter what I do to keep this team together, it's not enough for you! I've put thirty years of my life into Torchwood and I'm aging slower than I should be! Right now, what I have left is a disappointment to my Dad and it always will be.' I let a tear run.

I walked quickly through the hub until I found a room I recognised as a meeting room. I sat on a chair and started to sob. I couldn't find a way to stop. Someone followed me and I was held in an embrace to comfort any pain I had.

'I'm sorry.' Jack had found me.

He held me to him in a hug, his comfort finally making me calm. Jack wiped a tear off my cheek as I started getting control back of my emotions.

'I didn't know your mother was pregnant.'

'She didn't until you'd left. No one could find you. Once I'd got your name I figured out you'd actually gone to meet The Doctor for the first time.'

'How long have you been searching?'

'Since she died. That was thirty of my years ago.'

Jack gently kissed my head.

'I need to tell you something.'

'What is it?'

'You won't like it.'

'What?'

'I can't die either.' I saw Jack's horror strike his entire being.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack couldn't seem to get it to sink in. He kept listening to my last sentence in his head, trying to get it to sink in.

'How do you know?' Jack managed.

'I've been blown to pieces, shot at, crashed into, made to bleed to death, oh and I also got infected with radioactive signals. When Torchwood first found me I was put through tests. I was put through agony for about a month non-stop whenever I came round. I was about to get another dose when The Doctor showed up and stopped them. He made them make me leader ever since.' I shrugged.

'The Doctor didn't leave you alone?'

'He knew I was just like you and he had to keep an eye on me. When I last saw him, he'd just regenerated.'

'He does that.'

'As do we in a way.'

'Now I just have to decide what to do with you and your team.'

'Why do you have to make it sound like you're going to trap us in cells like we do Weevils?'

'I think a few of your team need it.'

'Fair enough.'

'Come on. I'll make sure you're alright.'

I let Jack lead me back to the others. My team glared up at Jack's team.

'Enough with the evils, alright?' I wasn't pleased.

'Are you alright?' Chrissy asked me.

'Yeah. For the moment.' I shrugged.

'Owen, Ianto and Gwen, will you give me a hand putting Mel's team in the cells? Tosh, keep an eye on Mel here for me. I've got a few questions for her.' Jack suggested.

Ianto, Owen and Gwen did as they were told, guiding my team to the cells. I walked up to Tosh and she watched me carefully.

'Don't worry. I'm not armed.' I tried to assure her.

'Really?' Tosh was surprised.

'The Doctor got to me, telling me I didn't need guns to get the job done. I only carry one if I need to.'

'Are you a relative of Jack's then?'

'Yeah. His daughter, as it turns out.'

'Is that why you're staying here with me?'

'No idea. You'd have to ask him.'

Jack led his team back up to the computers.

'What about Mel?' Owen asked, watching me carefully.

'Mel, would you mind if I got Owen to examine you? You are alien after all.' Jack was trying to be careful.

'If you try, I would highly recommend I'm fully strapped down. The last doctor that tried to _examine_ me, as you put it, I ended up getting the full red vision thing and my body lashed out and accidentally killed the guy. I'd prefer not to be killing off your team, thanks.' I pointed out.

'Strapped down it is. Owen?' Jack looked to his alien doctor.

'Follow me.' Owen knew this was going to be rough.

I followed Owen down to the room full of doctor's equipment. Owen gestured for me to get onto the table. I did as I was told. Jack helped Owen strap me down. Owen found a mask.

'It might be best if we make you unconscious. You alright with that?' Owen checked.

'Yup. Just keep your guard up at all times. My mother's side of the DNA doesn't stay dormant when I'm unconscious.' I said.

Owen put the mask over my mouth. I breathed in the gas and I found myself falling into unconsciousness, but also my consciousness standing in the room watching them. Owen checked my pupils.

'She's out.' Owen was certain.

'Let's see what kind of alien we've got.' Jack was intrigued.

Owen picked up a scalpel and cut my arm. My body on the table moved slightly.

'She wasn't wrong, was she?' Owen was a little shocked by the movement.

Owen got a blood sample and looked at the cut for anything.

'Her body seems to look like any human body, but there's what looks like bright red strings round the muscles. I think that might be the alien part.' Owen explained.

Owen touched one of the strings and my body struggled to keep a scream down.

'It's alright, Mel. Just relax.' Jack hoped I could her him.

Owen moved to put the scalpel down and when he looked back the cut was gone completely.

'Where's the incision gone?' Owen was confused.

'She can't die, so her body heals after she's injured.' Jack explained.

'Excellent. Means more playtime with the boss's kid's body.' Owen joked.

Owen checked my body over for structure. He put pressure on my collarbone and body almost screamed out again.

'Sorry, Mel.' Owen knew there were tense spots.

Owen knocked something off the table, making it clang on the floor. My body tried to fight the restraints, my eyes fully red. My consciousness watching walked to my body and pinned it down before everything went black.

I woke quickly on the table, the mask still on my face and the restraints holding me down. I was in serious discomfort.

'Mel?' Jack was by my side.

I tried to break free, but I couldn't get out.

'Mel, just relax, ok? We need you to be calm.' Jack tried to soothe my pain.

A solid shoot of pain hit my body. I tried not to scream.

'Shh. It's alright.' Jack spoke gently.

I tried to get free still, but it wasn't much use.

'Owen, the gas again.' Jack knew what he had to do.

Owen touched the gas supply to the mask on my face and I found myself drifting into unconsciousness properly.

'That's it. Just relax.' Jack knew it was working.

I tried to break one hand free, but it didn't want to move. Jack saw what I was trying to do. He held my hand and gently stroked my face with his free hand.

'I'm not going anywhere, ok? I'm staying right here.' Jack knew I was getting scared.

I tried to focus on anything, but my vision was blurring.

'It's alright. You're going to be fine. Just sleep it off.' Jack persuaded.

I let my eyes close and my head tilted to one side, as if I was asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

I found myself waking up and I wasn't restrained anymore. I found I was in one of the cells. I got to my feet and all that I could see was the murky corridor. My thoughts went back to me in the medical room. Had I done something that meant I was to be put I the cells? Before I could answer the question Jack came into view.

'I see you're up.' Jack had an odd look in his eyes.

'What's going on? Did I hurt someone?' I was confused.

'No. Owen checked your DNA. There's the print I recognise from my planet, as well as the one from your planet, but you have something else that shouldn't be there.'

'What is it?'

'It's a print of the time vortex particles in your blood. The levels are catastrophically high.'

'Does that mean I'm a threat?'

'I'm afraid it does. My team want to make sure you're safe by keeping you in this cell.'

'Ok.'

'You're ok with it?'

'I don't have a choice if I'm a danger to you and your team. I just hope you don't have to find a way to kill me for good.'

'It won't come to that.'

'You don't know that.'

'Mel, don't you dare.'

'What?'

'You're going to suggest that we put a stop to you, aren't you?'

'You don't need me, do you? You don't need someone to look after you because you have Ianto.'

'What?'

'Don't think I haven't seen how you look at each other. I'm glad you found someone to be your soulmate. Just because I'm your daughter, don't let it cloud your judgement. If I'm needed to be rid of, do it.'

'I won't do that. You know I won't.'

'You'll get your team to instead.'

'You know that's not true.'

'They'll do it, Jack. You know it. Talk to them.'

Jack rested one hand against the glass. I placed one of mine against his.

'Your team have figured out a way to get you back home.'

'You want me to go.'

'It's an option.'

'It means you won't see me again. I can't make you take that decision.'

'We won't have a choice with your DNA.'

I walked to the seat on my cell.

'Mel, I'm sorry.'

'I thought finding my Dad would help me figure out who I am. All I've figured out is I'm this dangerous bomb you want to get rid of.'

'That is not what I mean.'

'Isn't it? You want me to leave to my own time and never see you again because in a few years in your timeline you disappear. Gwen hears nothing from you and Torchwood Three ceases to exist. Torchwood Four turns up and they find new members to join to make Torchwood Three and Four. They rebuild the Hub. I land on Earth and Torchwood find me and try to kill me. Then The Doctor turns up and makes me their leader. I lead them for thirty years and then I meet you! Is this some sick joke The Doctor's playing on us? Right now, I regret him making me leader because then I wouldn't have come and found you! I went through hell to get here in the first place and you make it all for nothing!'

'Mel-'

'No! Don't _Mel_ me! You have no idea what I've been through! I've been followed by Bad Wolf and I don't know what it means! I can't take more of your sympathy because if I get anymore, I don't know how much of your so called daughter you love will be left.'

I turned my back on him, my anger rising through the roof.

'Mel, look at me!'

'I'd suggest you go help your team figure out how to get us back. The sooner the better, since you don't want me.'

'Mel Harkness, I want you to look at me.'

I looked at him in shock. I'd not heard him use my full name and it sounded right.

'I'm going to do whatever I can to help you, but you need to trust me.'

I found myself stand and look at the wall. My right hand guided itself over the wall and found the words BAD WOLF printed into the stonework.

'It's starting again, Jack. Bad Wolf.'

'What?'

'It's on the walls. I have it burned into my left arm.'

I showed Jack the burn on my arm. He looked horrified.

'How long have you had that?' Jack demanded an answer.

'Since I was born.' I shrugged.

'Did you show The Doctor this?'

'No. I thought it was safest if I didn't. He was distraught last time I saw him. He'd just lost Rose to a parallel universe. I couldn't bring Bad Wolf up, not again.'

'Mel, we'll need to contact him and get you help for that arm.'

'You think it's bad, don't you?'

'I don't know. Possibly. We'll figure it out. I promise.'

'Don't promise what you can't keep. Mum taught me that.'

'She was a clever woman.'

'The majority of my traits came from you, though. Mum couldn't fire a gun to save her life. After all, you are nicknamed the Face of Boe.'

'How do you know about that?'

'Jack, it has a different meaning to the rest of us. You were the face of Boe, but now you will become the greater Face of Boe.'

'You speak in so many riddles.'

'If it was spoken simply, it would be too easy, wouldn't it?'

'I suppose it would.'

'Go on. Your team will need you, Jack. Put a call out to The Doctor. We'll need him.'

Jack nodded, leaving me in the cell. I sat back down, staring at the BAD WOLF burned into my arm. Something was going on in the cells, but I couldn't figure out what. A loud growl started to ripple through, cutting the silence.

'Weevil.' I knew the sound right away.

I then saw a figure appear behind me in my cell. I had been put in with a Weevil. It eyed me up like a meal and I knew this wasn't going to be good.

'JACK!' I called.

There was no reply. The Weevil got a couple of steps closer. I was right against the glass.

'JACK HARKNESS!' I found myself screaming.

The glass door opened behind me and I stumbled out. The glass shut in front of the Weevil, making it howl in annoyance. I looked up from the floor, as I'd fallen over on my way out, to see the familiar figure dressed in a long brown coat and pinstriped suit.

'Doctor?' I was confused.

The Doctor helped me up and smiled his big grin.

'Mel, kind of you to drop in.' The Doctor was chirpy.

'We'd better go to the controls, I think. Jack was about to try and call you.' I explained.

The Doctor let me lead the way, both of us getting guns pointed at us for a minute before they recognised me.

'Mel, what are you doing out your cell?' Jack was confused.

'You mean the one you locked me into WITH A WEEVIL IN IT THAT TRIED TO KILL ME?!' I wasn't pleased.

'Doctor, how did you-' Jack spotted the Time Lord.

'TARDIS picked up Mel's signal. Good thing I put a tracker in your arm.' The Doctor shrugged.

'We need your help, actually, Doctor.' Jack looked to me.

'Oh?' The Doctor looked to me too.

I showed the words burned into my arm. The horror on The Doctor's face was pretty obvious.

'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.' The Doctor was a bit upset.

'Doctor?' I asked.

'These words almost killed Rose. I think it's going to end you too.' The Doctor dropped the bombshell.


	4. Chapter 4

Everyone seemed to be staring at me, worried what the consequences would be.

'What can we do?' I asked.

'I don't know what we _can_ do. Your fate has been set.' The Doctor was worried.

'Then we fight it as much as we can. I'm not backing down not after everything.' I said.

'Mel, this will be dangerous.' Jack knew.

'Like being the daughter of Captain Jack Harkness?' I raised an eyebrow at my Dad.

'She has a point.' Owen shrugged.

'Just be glad I don't go flirting with everything that moves.' I smirked a little at Jack.

'Aren't I just.' The Doctor chuckled.

'Thanks, Doctor. You're meant to be helping.' Jack wasn't impressed.

I looked round the room and I had a strong sense I needed to check something. I got round everyone and to the medical space. The utensils were laid out and I picked up a scalpel. I rolled up my left arm sleeve and looked at the burned in words. I cut through the B and instead of blood coming out it looked like bright light.

'Doctor!' I called.

The group filed in and The Doctor came down to me.

'What is it?' The Doctor was worried for me.

'Watch this and see if you can think of an explanation.' I suggested.

I held onto the scalpel and cut through the A in my burn and white light came out of it again instead of blood. The entire group were dropping their jaws. The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and scanned my arm where the burn was.

'That's weird. It's like you have a part of the centre of a TARDIS in your arm.' The Doctor was confused.

'Like Rose?' I trod carefully.

'Yeah, except it's not taking you over and it's only in one part of your body, where it took over Rose.' The Doctor was solemn.

'I'm another mystery, aren't I?' I knew.

'Yeah. I just don't know if we can solve this one in time.' The Doctor tried to be gentle.

'I'm a ticking bomb.' I sat on the steps.

'Doctor, is there anything in the TARDIS we can use?' Jack asked.

'I don't think so. I'm sorry, Jack.' The Doctor knew it would be hard.

I looked at the floor, knowing I would be putting Jack through this ordeal.

'We'll do something. We have to.' Jack was determined.

A noise I recognised started filling the room. I stood up, my ears wanting to listen to the noise even more.

'Mel?' Gwen saw my reaction.

I got up the stairs and past the group, heading towards the main room. I got to the controls and saw it. Stood by the massive cog was the TARDIS. I ran down the stairs to it and placed a hand on the door.

'How did that get in here?' Ianto was confused.

I pushed the door and it opened, letting me walk in. I walked to the controls and it seemed to react to my presence.

'Mel, everything alright?' The Doctor followed me.

'I think she knows, the TARDIS.' I looked back at him.

'Knows what?'

'I think my part of TARDIS is from this one.'

'You sure?'

'Yeah. It's like I've got this connection to our TARDIS.'

'Any messages?'

'Not yet, but I'm sure she'll let us know what's going to happen.'

'You trust that?'

'Yeah. I trust the TARDIS. Doesn't always take you to where you want to go, but to where you need to go.'

'That would make sense.'

'Exactly. That's why we have faith in the TARDIS.'

'You think she knows what's going on?'

'It's possible.'

'How long has it been since you were in here?'

'Thirty of my years?'

'That long?'

'Yeah. Spooky, huh?'

'Doctor!' Jack called from the Torchwood hub.

The Doctor led me out the TARDIS to see Jack at the controls.

'What?' The Doctor asked.

'We've got the tests back on the blood sample Owen took from Mel.' Jack sounded worried.

'You found something?' The Doctor leapt up the stairs.

The Doctor and Jack looked at the screens. The Torchwood team were nowhere to be seen. Maybe they were checking on my team in the cells. I looked back at the TARDIS and I stroked the woodwork, something calling out to me. I got images flashing in my head.

A woman with ginger hair getting locked in the TARDIS.

The TARDIS got shot through a long pipeline.

The woman in the TARDIS tried to hold on, but ended up touching a hand in a jar by the controls of the TARDIS.

I got a white light blinding me for a minute, but it slowly cleared.

Another version of The Doctor was on the floor of the TARDIS.

The Doctor and the woman talked about their fates being drawn together.

I found myself stumbling into the TARDIS. The controls seemed to be whirring into action.

'Mel?' Jack called, sounding worried.

I tried to keep my balance, but I lost my balance and fell to the floor or the TARDIS. I could see various monsters flashing through my head. I could hear a heartbeat drumming in my head, but it didn't sound like a human heartbeat. The doors into the TARDIS slammed shut, keeping everything out.

'Mel!' The Doctor tried to open the doors.

I tried to get up, but my body felt like lead. I slowly got myself on my feet, holding onto the controls.

'Mel, what's going on?' The Doctor asked.

I felt a burning sensation start from where my jacket pocket was against my body.

'Mel, talk to me!' The Doctor didn't want to give up on me.

My hand reached into the pocket and brought out an object I never saw before, but I recognised it at the same time.

'Mel, open the door!' Jack called.

I weaved my way to the seat and to look at the object.

'Mel, you need to talk to us! We can help you!' Jack wasn't giving in.

I saw the object was just a fob watch. It didn't look like much, but it seemed so important at the same time. I stood up, but I stumbled over. My body made me scream out, pain increasing to unnatural levels, even worse than what Torchwood had put me through.

'Mel!' Jack tried to open the door.

I found myself doing it almost out of habit. I opened the fob watch and the light that came out of it matched what came out of my arm earlier when I cut it. I screamed as the light swallowed me.

'MEL!' Jack tried all the more to get the door open.

I let the fob watch fall out of my grip. My body didn't want to move from where it was, but I knew I had to do something else to get a response. I found myself looking right at the controls of the TARDIS, hoping something would happen if I stared at it long enough. I heard the door open and two pairs of feet dash in. My eyes closed, but I could still hear everything.

'Mel?' Jack was by my side, worried sick.

I felt the watch leave my touch, The Doctor obviously picking it up out of curiosity.

'Doctor?' Jack asked.

'It's a fob watch, like the one I have and the Master had.' The Doctor sounded nervous.

'Why would Mel have one?' Jack checked.

'Well, the only reason that could be you won't like.' The Doctor knew.

'What?' Jack wanted answers.

'Mel is a Time Lord.' The Doctor explained.

I felt Jack hold my hand in both of his, the truth a bitter pill to take.


	5. Chapter 5

Slowly waking up on the medical bed again disorientated me as I started coming round. I caught sight of Jack standing nearby, not noticing.

'Dad?' I was still out of it.

Jack turned round and held my right hand in both his hands.

'You alright?' Jack checked.

'I don't remember.' Thoughts clouded my head.

'Don't remember what?'

'What happened? I opened the watch, but then nothing.'

I sat myself up and dangled my legs over the edge of the bed.

'Doctor!' Jack called.

The Doctor appeared and pulled out a stethoscope.

'I just need to listen to your heart, alright?' The Doctor tried to be careful.

I nodded, letting him approach. The Doctor held the stethoscope to my left side of my chest before moving to my right side. He then handed the stethoscope to Jack, who then did the exact same thing.

'Two hearts.' The Doctor explained.

'That's not possible.' Jack couldn't stop looking at me.

'What's going on?' I asked.

'Mel, you have two hearts, like a Time Lord.' The Doctor explained.

'But neither of my parents are Time Lords.' I was confused.

'Have you been exposed to the rift or to the time vortex at all?' The Doctor asked.

I stared at him in shock.

'What?' Jack knew.

'Mum. She accidentally dropped me in the time vortex portal she had. She had a hole in a frame on her table. I fell in, but from what she said I was in there for equivalent to five years.' I explained.

'You were exposed to the Time Vortex for five years?!' The Doctor's jaw dropped.

'I didn't really think much of it. I didn't seem affected by it. Actually, that was when I started gaining more knowledge of time and how it worked. Not long after that was when Mum died.' I shrugged.

'Oh, Mel. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.' The Doctor knew.

'It's bad, isn't it?' I saw The Doctor's reaction.

'Yeah. It's killing you from the inside. Having the TARDIS in your bloodstream isn't helping either. I'd say you haven't got long left, hours at best.' The Doctor was worried.

Tosh appeared at the top of the stairs.

'Jack, Mel's team has vanished.' Tosh was worried.

'Vanished how?' Jack asked.

'Like a pile of sand in each cell where they were, vanished.' Tosh explained.

'Right. Get the team to the controls. We have a situation.' Jack suggested.

Tosh left them to it.

'Come on. We'd better talk about this.' Jack offered.

The Doctor, Jack and I left the medical space and up to the controls.

'What's going on?' Owen asked.

'It appears Mel is a Time Lord. She got dropped into the Time Vortex as a child and being in there for five years rejigged her DNA. Her body isn't coping. At a guess, she only has a few hours left.' The Doctor explained.

'So what do we do?' Gwen asked.

'It will be brutal if we leave it to fester. Mel has a part of the TARDIS in her bloodstream, which is making her even more unstable.' The Doctor ran a hand through his hair.

'So we've got to stop Mel.' Ianto knew.

'I'm afraid so.' The Doctor looked at me, upset by it.

'It's ok. I know it will be hard, but I want Jack to do it.' I looked to my Dad.

'Mel, I can't do that to you.' Jack was torn.

'Even if it's my last request?' I knew.

'Mel, no.' Jack put his foot down.

'Doctor?' I needed someone to depend on.

The Doctor couldn't look me in the eye. I took a deep breath and I tried to figure out what to do.

'Mel, are you sure about this?' Owen checked.

'Yeah. I can't put Torchwood in more danger. You'll have to kill me twice. Because the Time Lord DNA will have taken over I will try to regenerate into a new body once the first shot goes. You have to shoot me again before I can regenerate.' I knew how it worked.

'I'll do it. I can do it humanely, injection so you won't feel a thing.' Owen offered.

'Thank you. We'd better get on with it. Doctor, you'll need to make sure the TARDIS is ready. Once I'm gone that part of the TARDIS will go back into the core.' I pointed out.

I walked down to the medical space and looked at the bed, knowing this would be the last thing I see.

'Mel, please don't do this.' Jack begged.

'I have to keep you safe. You're Captain Jack Harkness, head of Torchwood. Your fate is not yet done. Trust me on this. It's the right thing to do. I've become a threat for too long.' I tried to hold myself together.

Owen stood next to me, ready. I got onto the bed and stayed as still as I could. Owen prepared the syringes, Jack watching. I could see the tears running down his cheeks already.

'It's ok. I'm ready.' I tried to convince him.

Owen looked me in the eyes. He looked worried about it too.

'You ready?' Owen sighed deeply.

'Ready as I'll ever be.' I closed my eyes.

I felt the slight prick of the needle and the dose run through my veins. I tried to fight it, but it was strong. My eyes opened and I could see I was trying to regenerate.

'OWEN!' I yelled.

Owen got the second dosage into my body and I slowly stopped fighting. I slumped against the bed, watching Jack run to me. He tried to comfort me, neither of us looking away from each other.

'You'll be ok, won't you?' Jack hoped.

'Yeah. I'll send Mum your love.' I coughed.

Jack kissed my head for as long as he dared. I felt myself going, Jack trying to make me comfortable. I convulsed forward and I saw a bright light surge out of me and it flew in the direction of the TARDIS. My body slumped back, my eyes closing on the last sight of my Dad, hoping he was safe for now after my sacrifice.


End file.
